Learn from the best Cornish chefs
Padstow Christmas Festival (5th-8th December 2019) is a celebration of local food and produce, with more than 60 chefs demonstrating their favourite dishes over four days. You’ll find renowned local residents Rick Stein, Nathan Outlaw and Paul Ainsworth offering culinary delights available to sample.
Set around the famous Padstow harbour, this is one of the UK’s largest Christmas markets and is jam packed with local gifts and produce. Tis the season to indulge, so make the most of delicious cheeses, creamy fudge and roasted chestnuts before donning your Santa suit to join hundreds of Saint Nicks running and cycling the Camel Trail. Start in Wadebridge and keep your stamina up til Padstow – all in aid of Cornwall Hospice Care!
Shop local produce and gifts
On the South Coast, you can finish up your Christmas shopping in the Fowey Christmas Market (6th-8th December 2019). With large tents surrounding the water’s edge showcasing local produce and crafts, Fowey is also home to lots of great independent retailers, perfect for those tricky-to-buy-for relatives!
Enjoy the twinkly lights
Nothing feels quite as festive as wrapping up warm and heading out in the crisp, cold air on a quest to discover some magical Christmas lights. Truro City of Lights (20th November 2019) is the perfect chance to get into the festive spirit. Seasonal music and elaborate dancing paves the way for a procession of locally crafted paper lanterns which meander through the streets of Truro, a traditional celebration of the city’s Christmas lights switch on. Take advantage of the Park and Ride service to arrive nice and early and secure a prime spot!
Probably the most famous Christmas lights in Cornwall, the Mousehole Lights are a must-do for the festive season and attract thousands of visitors every year. Residents of this small fishing village line their harbour walls with light and colour between Saturday 14th December 2019 and 4th January 2020 (With the exception of 19th Dec, when the lights will be dimmed between 8-9pm).
Take a dip!
Something of a tradition, a festive dip in the sea is not for the faint-hearted! There are plenty of planned swims across Cornwall - many of which ban wetsuits. If you’re brave enough, head down to St Agnes, Coverack, Bude or Sennen on Christmas day; or Poldhu, St Ives or Charlestown on Boxing day.
Sip on a hot chocolate
When it’s time to get in from the cold, warm up with a ‘naughty hot chocolate’ at Woods Café in Cardinham Woods, Bodmin. This picturesque café can be found nestled among the trees and is the perfect place to cosy up after a stroll through the wintry forest.
With four marked out walking trails, ranging from 1.5 to 4 miles, there’s something for every age and ability. If cycling is more your thing, there are also three mountain biking trails through the dense forest.
Fly to Cornwall
Come to Cornwall by air this festive season from London Heathrow, London Southend, Manchester and Leeds-Bradford with Flybe, or from Dublin with Aer Lingus.